Monday, December 31, 2007

Gigantopithecus, the largest ape ever known to have existed, is one of the candidates that has been offered to explain the mystery of the Yeti, Bigfoot and a myriad of other giant, hairy man-beasts. Here's the latest on the creature.

Friday, December 28, 2007

A couple of weeks ago, Tim Binnall interviewed me for his highly successful Binnall of America on the subject of my most recent book, Memoirs of a Monster Hunter. Here's the link. Note that the show should be available online from Sunday onwards.

Check out Backyard Phenomena, the new blog of Lisa Shiel, author of the book Backyard Bigfoot, for the latest updates on the high-strangeness and trickster-style events in Lisa's life:Update One;Update Two.

Bigfoot is in the news again, as these four stories amply demonstrate:Story One (man meets Bigfoot and it wasn't friendly...);Story Two (Bigfoot and the people who see the beast...);Story Three (Stinky Bigfoot...);Story Four (I Spy Bigfoot...).

For those of you within driving distance of Denton, Texas, I'll be lecturing on my book Memoirs of a Monster Hunter for the Denton Area Paranormal Society (DAPS) on the night of 16 January. Click on this link and go to "Meetings and Events" for details of time, location, etc. The lecture is also open to the public.

Some of you will doubtless be aware of the controversy surrounding the so-called "Gable Film" - a seemingly old piece of film-footage that appears to show a strange, shape-shifting beast that perhaps falls into the category of "Dogman" or "werewolf."Many have suggested the film is nothing but a hoax.However, as this latest development in the saga shows, the controversy is still very much alive.If you aren't aware of the film and its history, the link above also provides the background to the film.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Dark tales of the ghostly black dogs - or hell-hounds - of old England can be found in abundance in many old towns and villages all across the nation. And now they're in the news again.

So, what are the black dogs? In his definitive book Explore Phantom Black Dogs, English author and researcher Bob Trubshaw wrote: “The folklore of phantom black dogs is known throughout the British Isles. From the Black Shuck of East Anglia to the MautheDhoog of the Isle of Man there are tales of huge spectral hounds ‘darker than the night sky’ with eyes ‘glowing red as burning coals.’ The phantom black dog of British and Irish folklore, which often forewarns of death, is part of a worldwide belief that dogs are sensitive to spirits and the approach of death, and keep watch over the dead and dying. North European and Scandinavian myths dating back to the Iron Age depict dogs as corpse eaters and the guardians of the roads to hell. Medieval folklore includes a variety of ‘Devil dogs’ and spectral hounds.”

Friday, December 21, 2007

For anyone and everyone interested in learning about the mysterious animals of Ireland, this is a very cool and informative site. Big cats, lake-monsters and tales rich in folklore and history can be found in abundance. A great site.

A couple of days ago I received in the mail the new issue of Animals& Men: The Journal of the Center for Fortean Zoology.I always look forward to receiving a new A&M, as it's a publication that is guaranteed to both entertain and inform anyone and everyone with an interest in cryptozoology, Forteana and all-things-weird.And the new issue most certainly doesn't disappoint. You will find in its pages a wealth of stories on newly discovered creatures; the latest news on sightings of mysterious Big Cats in the UK; an in-depth report (including numerous photos) on the CFZ's recent expedition to Guyana in search of a wealth of strange beasts; a fascinating article by Neil Arnold titled The Bennington Triangle that details the unknown animals in one particular part of Vermont; a review of the CFZ's 2007 Weird Weekend gig; and details of a previously-unreported sighting of the British equivalent of Mothman - namely, the Owlman.But there's something else, too.As much as the Internet has revolutionized our lives for the better, as well as giving us the ability to access masses of information online at the touch of a button, I still think there is something exciting about receiving an in-print magazine via the postman, and as in the days of yore.And when - as is the case with Animals & Men - it has been put together by a dedicated team (Jon, Corinna, Mark, Richard, Graham and Ollie) that often by the midnight-oil tirelessly edits the mag, does the artwork and design, prints it, and ensures that copies of the glossy, color-covered 60-page magazine are mailed to hundreds of like-minded souls across the world, it creates an image of admirable dedication to the task in-hand.It also - for me, at least - is a firm indication that passion, vitality and boundless enthusiasm are all still alive and kicking in the world of cryptozoology.Long may Jon and the team continue to publish Animals & Men.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Check out this multi-part report from the Blogsquatcher on Bigfoot, infrasound and high-strangeness (the link is to part one, and the subsequent parts can all be found at the blog). There's some good, intriguing data here.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The new issue of TAPS Paramagazineincludes an article from me on encounters with, and sightings of, werewolf-style beasts in the state of Texas. If you're interested in sightings, both old and new, of lycanthropes, giant wolves and more of a related nature in the Lone Star State, check it out. The "Converse Werewolf;" the "Wolfman of Paradise;" the "Devil's River Wolf-Girl;" and the "Beast of Waco" all feature prominently.

Friday, December 14, 2007

I've seen a few dead armadillos on the roads of Texas since moving here in 2001; however, this is one armadillo-like beast I would not want to collide with on the road at 70MPH. Doubtless, I - rather than it - would end up as road-kill!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A couple of days ago, I interviewed the Center for Fortean Zoology's Richard Freeman about their recent CAPCOM-sponsored expedition to Guyana in search of a whole range of strange, diabolical and vicious beasts. As you'll see, Rich (the Zoological Director of the CFZ, and who can be seen in this photo, hanging out with a pal) had much to say about the trip and the new discoveries, tales and witnesses that the team unearthed.

Nick Redfern: NR

Richard Freeman: RF

NR: So what was it like out there, Rich, coming from blustery, cold England?

RF: In terms of the heat, it was the most difficult expedition I’ve ever been on. The temperature was well over 100 degrees. And as we were mainly in the Savannah, there was no shade at all. I actually got sunstroke once and passed out. It's difficult to describe how hot it really was; but at one point I couldn't take it any more and I waded into a swamp full of mosquitoes and hid under a tree, just to get out the heat and sun. But in terms of what we uncovered, it was worth the heat-stroke, the broken thumbs and infected feet that some of us got!

NR: So, what sorts of evidence and accounts did you uncover?

RF: Well, we had gone out there with the intention of looking for several different, specific creatures that we were told lived in the Savannah and the mountains of Guyana. And we were lucky enough to uncover information on all of them - and other stories on different creatures we didn't even know about. We'd heard in advance about giant snakes, giant ground sloths and a couple of other things. But we were surprised and pleased to get much more too.

RF: One of the most interesting people we spoke with was a guy named Ernest. He was a former chief, but had retired to run a fish farm. He had seen a weird creature that everyone who lived in the villages in the Savannah called the "Red-Faced Pygmies". Wherever we went, we heard stories about these creatures, and met lots of witnesses to them, too. They all said the pygmies were about three-to-three-and-a-half-feet tall and had red faces. Ernest had met one when he was nineteen in the Savannah and it had grabbed his tobacco off him!

RF: Another man, Kennard, said there was one these pygmies that haunted a certain stretch of the Savannah, and it would jump out and scare people. Although, apparently, it never actually hurt anyone. They were described as having a weird grin on their faces; they walk erect, and have brown skin, rather than fur. All the people we spoke with were adamant they were some type of small human, rather than an animal. Personally, I think they might be something similar to Homo floresiensis.

RF: Our guide, Damon Corrie, saw one once. He said he was in a tent one night and woke up to see one of these things looking down at him. And there are still sightings to this day in the Savannah. I'd say they are probably a very primitive and very ancient tribe.

RF: Well, Ernest had seen a very big anaconda about ten years ago, and that was around thirty feet long. This was actually the skin of the snake; and apparently it had been shot by a British chap. From what we were told, if the story is true, then the snake was clearly transported back to England illegally.

RF: We were also told of huge anacondas, more than forty feet long, that were said to live in the caves at a place called Corona Falls. The problem for us was that this was seventy miles or more from where we were; and with the savage heat and the river water being too low to travel by boat, this was one area we weren't able to get to in person.

NR: And what about this river-monster you went looking for?

RF: Yeah, this thing is called the Water Tiger. We spoke with several witnesses about this. One was an old man called Joseph, who had seen a skin of the thing after it had been killed by hunters some time in the 1970s. He said it was definitely a mammal and about ten feet long. It was white with black spots, and had a head still attached that was kind of like a tiger's head. He also said something very interesting: that the creature hunts in packs.

RF: Someone else, a guy named Elmo, told us a similar story: that there is a "Master Water Tiger," as he calls it, that sends the young ones out to hunt in the waters. Elmo is adamant they’re not jaguars or giant otters, but are something very different. I wondered if it might be some sort of mustelid, but much, much bigger than known ones. And it's very aggressive, too. Ernest told us he was on a boat with his uncle once, when something grabbed the boat, shook it violently, and they had to hang onto the overhanging tree branches to avoid getting thrown into the water. Ernest's uncle said it was a water tiger.

RF: One story told to us dated from the 1940s, and was of a girl who got kidnapped by a Didi, lived with it, and apparently even had a half-breed child with it. Now, if that's true, that would imply the Didi is a hominid rather than an ape. The story was she eventually escaped on a hunter’s canoe, and when the male Didi saw her leave, he supposedly ripped the half-breed child to pieces in a rage. We heard a couple of stories like this - of the Didi supposedly kidnapping people.

RF: But, I do think it's possible that some of the Didi stories could well be mistaken sightings of giant sloths that have become confused with the real Didi. So, the legends and stories might be based on two real creatures, rather than just one.

RF: We also heard tales of dragons living up in the mountains; and although we didn't find the dragons, we did find a cave in the mountains where a burial had taken place and where there were a number of human skulls in an old pot. There was also a story from the 1950s we investigated of a group of cowboys who had tethered their horses near a lake one night and woke up to hear this loud breathing and the sounds of something big moving from the water towards the horses. Of course, they shot in the direction of whatever it was, and quickly untied the horses and left. But this area had dragon legends attached to it, too. But I wonder if some of these dragon tales might actually be mistaken sightings and legends of giant anacondas.

Here's an interesting new article from Lisa Shiel on a Tennessee Bigfoot encounter. Lisa says: "In May of 1998 John J., an ex-Army man, and five of his environmentalist colleagues set out to examine a logging site in Tennessee. They carried with them a bionic ear, a range finder, and a laser motion sensor. The time was dusk. After setting up the bionic ear and laser 'trip line,' the group sat on a ridge overlooking the logging road, taking a break to enjoy a snack and a smoke.Then something tripped the laser sensor..."Here's the rest of the story, at Lisa's new Backyard Phenomena blog.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Check out the new blog - Backyard Phenomena - from Lisa Shiel, author of the book, Backyard Bigfoot. As you'll see, it promises much on the links between Bigfoot and the paranormal. This looks to be a great new blog well worth reading.

I just got off the phone with Richard Freeman, having interviewed him about his recent expedition to Guyana. Rich related to me some fascinating witness testimony the team secured on hairy man-beasts; giant snakes; dragon legends; and much more.He also told me of his plans to return to Guyana next year, and divulged details of his forthcoming book on Japanese monster legends, tales and stories.The full interview will be posted here later this week.

Friday, December 7, 2007

If you have young children that are interested in cryptozoology and you're still looking for Christmas presents for them, you may want to get them a copy of this recently-published book: The Luck of the Loch Ness Monster: A Tale of Picky Eating.A copy was sent to me a few days ago and I can say for certain that it will definitely entertain young kids. Who knows: it may prompt them to become fully-fledged cryptozoologists when they grow up.As the publisher's blurb for the book states: "Once upon a time, on a long, slow trip to Scotland, a little girl named Katerina-Elizabeth tossed her oatmeal overboard—again, and again, and again. She was a picky eater, and oatmeal was her least favorite food. And once upon a time, a small worm, no bigger than a piece of thread, swam alongside an ocean liner bound for Scotland and ate bowl after bowl of tossed oatmeal. He had never tasted anything as wonderful as oatmeal in his whole life. A. W. Flaherty and Scott Magoon unravel the Loch Ness legend in this whimsical picture book for the picky (and not-so-picky) eater in all of us. "

Monday, December 3, 2007

Well, is the mysterious footprint that has been creating so much controversy over the last few days really that of the Yeti? There seems to be a high degree of differing opinions on the matter. Has evidence of the beast's continued-existence been found? Some might say yes, others might say not yeti...yes, I know: a terrible joke!Anyway, here's the latest on the story.

As The Real Men in Black demonstrates, Mothman, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra, and perhaps even the legendary "Thunderbird Photograph" have attracted the attention of the MIB.

And, in a real scoop, I detail in my book the very creepy MIB encounter of legendary cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman himself...

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE WOODS: A Transatlantic Hunt for Monsters and the Mysterious

Contains the latest news on Bigfoot, Werewolves, The Thunderbird, Devil-Dogs, Big-Cats, and much more. For all the details, including purchase-information, click on the book-cover image above, or check out: http://www.anomalistbooks.com/redfern2.html

MONSTERS OF TEXAS

NOW AVAILABLE (Click on the book-cover for more information)

MAN-MONKEY: In Search Of The British Bigfoot

"This book is an important contribution to the annals of furry, upright creature lore and belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in unidentified animals," Linda Godfrey, author of "The Beast of Bray Road" and "Hunting the American Werewolf."

MEMOIRS OF A MONSTER HUNTER: A Five-Year Journey In Search Of The Unknown

"This is one of the best books I've read in years," Joshua P. Warren, author of "Pet Ghosts" and "How to Hunt Ghosts."

CONFESSIONS OF A MONSTER HUNTER

I am the author of many books, including "A Covert Agenda;" "The FBI Files;" "Cosmic Crashes;" "Strange Secrets (with Andy Roberts);" "Three Men Seeking Monsters;" "Body Snatchers in the Desert;" "On the Trail of the Saucer Spies;" "Celebrity Secrets;" "Man-Monkey;" "Memoirs of a Monster Hunter;" "There's Something in the Woods;" "Science Fiction Secrets;" "Contactees;" "Monsters of Texas" (with Ken Gerhard); "Final Events;" "The NASA Conspiracies;" "Space Girl Dead on Spaghetti Junction;" "The Real Men in Black" and "Keep Out!"
Proudest achievement: knowing all the lyrics to every one of the songs recorded by The Macc Lads.
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